Folding door



H. S. KUYPER FOLDING DOOR May 4, 1954 2 Shees-Sheet l Filed Deo. 3 1951j@ QR 55 lI-mul. I\

H. S. KUYPER FOLDING DOOR May 4, 1954 Filed Dec. 3 1951 VFA vnrvbvlPatented May 4, 1954 FOLDING Doon Herman. Si. Kuyper, Pella, Iowa;assigner to Roliscreen Company, Pella, Iowa, a corporation of IowapplicationDecemier 3, 1951, Serial No. 259,590

(Cl. U50-206) io'oiaims.

This invention relates' to a folding door and particularly one of thetype formed of vertically elongatedk panels folded accordion-like,whereby in the closed position of the door the accordion formation is ofshallow character; whereasinthe open position of the door,.th.e panelsarerfolded substantially face-to-fac'eat one sdeof the door opening.

One object of the invention is toprovi-de a folding door which givesmanyface-savingV features by reason of the door folding into aV neat compactbundle instead of swinging-out: into= the room like the usual hingeddoor.

Another objecty is to provide a folding door which is easy to install,the door beingsuspended from a track along the head -arnlc of' the door,the door being particularly desirable in connection with clothes closetsand the like where a relatively wide opening is` desirable tog get at'the storage space in the'closet, whereas a Wide door swinging into theroom-.would be veryI undesirable.

Still another object is to provide a folding door formed ofpanels'withanovel-means te hold the panels in edge-to-edge relation, andan arrangement of moldings between the edges ofthe panels, if desired,to cover flexible elements that extend out of the edge of one panel intothe edge of the next panel for holding themv assembled in the doorstructure.

A further object is to provide thel moldings and the panel edgesshaped'so as` to tend to unfold the door andv push it to closedposition, and retain the panels in shallow accordion-like formation whenthe door is closed.

Still a further object is to provide a modication having atongue-anfd-groovek arrangement between the edges of the panels whichpermit some adjustment of the widthof thedoor.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in theconstruction, arrangement and combination of the various parts'of myfolding door, whereby the-objects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a folding door embodying my presentinvention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged Vertical sectional view on the line 2 2 ofFigure-1.

Figure 3 is an enlargedk horizontal sectional y similar bores 38.

2 ofaportion of Figure 3, the section beingitaken throughout' part of'ther gure on' the line 5`-5 of Figure 1 to show a spring that extendsthrough the panels from edge-to-edge to.v hold them in assembledrelation.

Figure 6 is aview similar to Figure 5' showinga modification. wherein" aspring and a cordr (or other exible element) is used as a substitute forthe spring of Figure 5.

Figure' is a similarview showing an elastic cord Vused'inplaceofthe'spring of; Figure 5.

Figure 8' is a similarviewshowing a modied construction, the door beingin: the closed-position.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure l-showing the door of Figure 8` inthe opened position; and

Figure 10 is a-sectional'view similar to Figure 5 showing another modiedconstruction.

On the accompanying drawings, I have used referencernumerals I0toindicate the side jambs ofV a door frame, the head jarnb` of which'isindicated at I2.. My folding door comprises a plurality of verticallyelongated panels i4 which may be; formed of wood or other suitableYmaterial. Each of these has at thetop ar screw or thelike I6 extendingthrough a` travelerv or'shoe I8 which is slidable in a channel-shapedtrack' 20; The trackis securedto the head jambv I'Zfasby screws 22 andthe connection just described suspends each panel I4 from the head jalnbfor opening and closing movement of the door. Thef track 20 maybeeoncealedby moldings 24v if desired as shown in Figure 2. The suspendingscrewsV IB may be provided for alternate panels only, as shown in Figure4, which" arrangement I: have found entirely satisfactory.

'Ihefcompleterdoor includes four narrow panels 26, 28', 3|` and 32.AlsoA moldings' 30 if desired, may be provided between the edges of thepanels as shown in Figure 3. The panely 26- is adapted to be secured toone of the side jambs l; whereas the panels 2'8iand-'3' fill'out theaccordion pattern ofthe door as obvious in Figure 3. The panel 32 is thenish edge of the door and in the' closed position ofthe door as inFigure 3, may coact with a molding 35 as shown to provide a lighttightjoint. The moldingsil also serve to provide light-tight ioin-tsbetweenthe panels l..

The panels I4, 25, 28, 3l4 and SZareprovided with bores indicedsedr at3-6 from edge to. edge thereof and the. moldings 31) are provided withSprings 451 under: tension are strung through the bores 31E-#and.38;.and anchored asa by screws 42 and 44 (seevFigure 5)" atk their endsso as to normally retain the panels in the closed door position ofFigures 3 and 5.

As shown in Figure 6, instead of springs 40 extending all the waythrough the panels, short springs 46 may be provided anchored as at 50at one end and having their other ends connected to flexible elementssuch as chains or cords 48 extending through the bores 36 and 38 andanchored as at 52. Again as in Figure '7, the springs 40 may be replacedby elastic cords 54 under tension and anchored at 56 and 58. Figure 10shows still another modification in which blind holes 38h into the edgesof the panels receive short springs 4Gb having their ends anchored inthe bottoms of the holes. Any one of the four arrangements shown inFigures 5, 6, 7 and 10 accomplishes the desired result of tending tounfold the door and push it to closed position, and to retain the panelsin shallow accordionlike formation as shown. The surfaces of themoldings 30 Where they coact with the edges of the panels are at suchangle to each other that they tend to keep the parts at the approximateangles disclosed and the panels are thereby held in a shallow accordionposition such that the inside included angles between panels are obtuseangles. If the door is made up of panels only as in Figure 10, the edgesof the panels would be at the proper angle for adjacent edges to beparallel so that in the closed or extended position of the door theindividual panels are held in the shallow accordion position justmentioned.

In Figures 8 and. 9, I show a modified construction in which panels B0replace the panels I4 of Figure 3 and together with panels 26a., 28a,Sla and 32a provide the completed door. The springs in these two figuresare shown at 40a and extend through the panels as already disclosed inFigure 5.

The edges of the panels, however, are provided with coacting tongues 62and grooves 64 (the moldings 30 being omitted). The tongue and grooveconnections prevent the passage of light through the joints and bymaking the grooves at a somewhat greater radius than the tongues,

slight angular adjustment of the panels is possible so that the door canbe fitted to door frames that vary several inches in width with theaccordion angles greater for a narrow door and shallower for a wide one.

Obviously the arrangement shown in Figures 6, '7 and 10 may be used inconnection with the modication of Figures 8 and 9 instead of completesprings 40a as shown.

I have disclosed the details of a folding door which is simple toconstruct, assemble and install. The springs or other flexible elementsused for holding the panels in assembled relationship do so in suchmanner as to insure proper folding of the door from the closed positionof Figure 3 to the open position of Figure 4 when thepanel 32 is movedaway from the right hand door jamb 0 in Figure `3. With the arrangementshown in Figure 4, the moldings 30 serve to conceal the portions of thesprings 40 extending out of the 4 this action all during the unfoldingof the door. Finally when the unfolding is completed, the edge angles ofthe panels and/or moldings serve to cause the panels to present anevenly and neatly corrugated appearance.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of theparts of my folding door without departing from the real spirit andpurpose of my invention and it is my intention to cover by my claims anymodified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which maybe reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a series of verticalpanels arranged edge to edge, openings into the edges of said panels,and iexible resilient elements extending out of the openings of onepanel and into the openings of the next panel and retained under tensionfor tending to retain said panels in edge-to-edge relation andpermitting accordion-like folding thereof to decrease the effectivewidth of the door, and unfolding thereof to increase the effective widthof the door.

2. In a folding door, a series of vertical panels arranged edge to edge,openings into the edges of said panels, flexible resilient elementsextending out of the openings of one panel and into the openings of thenext one, said elements being under tension for thereby tending toretain said panels in edge-to-edge relation and permitting accordionfolding thereof to decrease the effective width of the door, andunfolding thereof to increase the effective width of the door, and meansfor supporting said panels.

3. A folding door comprising a series of panels arranged edge to edge,openings extending into the edges of said panels, and tensioned flexibleresilient elements received in said openings and tending to retain saidpanels in edge-to-edge relation, and permitting accordion-like foldingand unfolding thereof, the ends of said elements being anchored in saidopenings.

4. A folding door comprising a series of vertically elongated panels,and means urging said panels together in edge-to-edge relation, theedges of alternate panels being oppositely beveled so that they assumean accordion-like position as a result of such urging.

5. A folding door of the character disclosed comprising a plurality ofpanels arranged edge to edge, moldings between said edges, openingsthrough said moldings from edge to edge thereof and extending into theedges of said panels, and flexible resilient elements extending out ofsaid openings of one panel, through said openings of said moldings andinto said openings of the next panel, said elements tending to retainsaid panels and moldings in edge-to-edge relation, said molding andpanel edges assuming a shallow accordion-like formation when the edgesthereof are engaged with each other in substantially closed doorposition.

6. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a series of verticallyelongated panels arranged edge to edge, moldings between said edges,openings through said panels and moldings from edge to edge thereof, atensioned flexible resilient element through said openings tending toretain said panels and moldings in edge-to-edge relation and permittingaccordion-like folding and unfolding of the door, and a supporting trackfor said panels, at least some of said panels having travelers movablealong said track for suspending the door therefrom.

7. In a folding door, a series of panels arranged edge to edge, openingsthrough said panels from edge to edge thereof, the adjacent edges ofsaid panels having convex ended tongue and concave groove connectionswherein the grooves have substantially greater radius than the tonguesto facilitate some angular adjustment of the panels with relation toeach other and thereby adjustment for the width of the door, alternatetongue and groove connections being oppositely tilted, and a tensionedflexible resilient element through said openings normally retaining saidtongue and groove connections engaged and said panels thereby inshallow, accordion-like edge-to-edge relation due to the oppositetilting of said tongue and groove connections and permittingaccordion-like folding thereof to decrease the effective Width of thedoor and unfolding thereof to increase the effective width of the door.

8. A folding door of the character disclosed v comprising a series ofpanels, arranged edge to edge, one edge o-f the series being anchoredand the other edge movable, alternate panels of the series havingoppositely beveled edges, openings into the edges of said panels, andsprings extending out of the openings of one panel and into the openingsof the next and being under tension to normally retain said panels in-shallow accordionlike edge-to-edge engagement and to thereby effectaccordion collapse of the door by movement of said movable edge of theseries of panels toward said anchored edge thereof.

9. A folding door comprising a series of panels arranged edge to edge, atriangle-shaped molding between each two adjacent edges of said seriesof panels, alternate moldings being reversely arranged, openings throughsaid panels and moldings from edge to edge thereof, and springsextending through said openings and connected to the panels at the endsonly of the springs, said springs being under tension to retain saidpanels and moldings in edge-to-edge relationship, the triangle shape andreverse arrangement of alternate moldings causing said panels to assumeshallow accordion-like formation when the door is closed and thereforepermitting close accordion-like folding thereof to open the door.

10. In a folding door of the character disclosed, a plurality of panelsarranged edge to edge, openings through said panels from edge to edgethereof, a flexible resilient element through said openings normallyretaining said panels in edge-toedge relation, the adjacent edges ofsaid panels having tongue and groove connections with each other,alternate tongue and groove connections being reversely inclined tolimit the relation of adjacent panels to obtuse angles when said panelsare so retained by said flexible resilient element whereby said panelsassume an accordion-like formation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 405,450 Wilson June 18, 1889 363,741 McCloud M Aug. 20, 19071,170,856 Thornton Feb. 8, 1916 1,212,005 Biberfeld Jan. 9, 19171,463,346 Walker July 31, 1923 2,075,716 Harrison Mar. 30, 1937

